A Dog's Tale

I guess I want to let people know that we did not set out adopt a rare and exotic canine. What we wanted and tried to do was adopt a dog from a shelter or adopt from one of the many agencies in my area, but things seldom work out like one wants.

First, I want to give you a little back history. When the bf and I had to put our beloved Koda to sleep a year ago Mar. 20th it about killed us. He was only six and we were expecting at least another ten good years. Things had finally sort of settled. We had one dog and one cat and they adored each other. Life was good. Koda got sick and then sicker and it seemed like the,vet who wasn't worth the paper her diploma was printed on, kept prescribing medications and blood tests and had not a clue as to what was going on. We finally got a vet who cared. Sadly, it was too late. We took Koda into a specialist for an ultra sound we found out that same day his liver and kidneys were shutting down and the heart murmur we were initially told was minor was not. The next day we said our good byes with our hearts completely broken and way too many unanswered questions. We still to this day do not know what happened and why he got sick.

We listened to many people that told us we should adopt again and get another dog the sooner the better...We tried two months later. I spied a female rat terrier that needed to be re-homed due to her owner not being able to keep or take care of her. I got in touch with this woman and agreed to all her silly terms, home visits, and a veiled threat that if she in 90 days time did not like how we were taking care of her dog she would take her back. Now anyone who knows me that in the back of my mind I was thinking of filing a restraining order and making a call to the police if the woman so much as showed up on my property after I had the dog. I spoke more to the woman's sister than to the dog owner herself, and found out that not only was the woman mentally unhinged, but a hoarder with issues and way too many dogs. I was stupid for getting my hopes set so high and was not surprised but still deeply hurt when literally 2 hours before she was supposed to deliver the dog to my house she called left a message a bailed. When she called to string me a long, a little more I told her if she ever called my house, again I would turn her ass in the humane society for animal neglect. She did not call again.

Next time we tried to adopt was last summer. I went through an organization that I thought would work. She brought over an adorable little Chihuahua (stop laughing) mix named Luigi super sweet little escape artist wouldn't stop harassing our cat Pixel who weighs in somewhere between a normal house cat and a snow leopard and has zero tolerance for little dogs that don't know there place on the food chain. Pixel showed his dislike of this particular dog by pooping on the dogs bed...Luigi went back to his foster moms...he is still there. Next, the adoption place tried to steer us to a Rat Terrier that came from a bad puppy mill...sad, sick and unfortunately way too neurotic for me.

We tried to adopt a dog from the local humane society only to run across another neurotic dog that would not have made a good fit for our home at all. We tried other place combing the listings, looking. The one deal breaker was that the dog MUST LOVE CATS. We never found a match. We got a crazy half tortie half Tasmanian devil kitten named Willow and things fell into place and fit. We sort of stopped looking for dogs. I was still mourning Koda and could not walk through the park without bursting into tears. I dog sit Koda's bff Rottie named Lucy...she was/is a super sweetheart. I watch her every chance I get. She is my guardian angel with fur and fangs. I figured I was content…but then…

Last January early a.m. I spied an ad on craigslist from a woman who was looking for her lost dog. I looked at the ad. Saw the photo of a very unique looking dog that was definitely Asian, but did not put too much thought into it other than to look up the breed. A truly fascinating breed. A couple more days went by and I saw another ad same woman saying she had found her dog. I looked again and this time the photo showed the dog with another half dozen of the same breed....so I emailed her and asked if she bred them? Did not really expect to hear back, figuring I had just earned the title of crazy craigs list stalker, but then about a week later I had an email telling me that no actually she didn't breed anymore, but...(always a but) her husband on New Years made a mistake and put a receptive female in with their intact male. Did not realize his mistake until it was too late. She also would be willing to let us adopt one of her young adults but they were not good with cats. I declined the offer of a adult dog because of the kitties, but told her I would be interested in a puppy if there was going to be a litter. Did the math figured the first week of March. We kept in contact and I got photos when the beautiful Akari gave birth to 9 awesome little black tigers (8 boys 1 girl) on March 4th. Kim has kept in touch with me and sent me photos weekly or more. Last night she brought over my favorite 4 and let me choose one for my very own. Kim said it was destined to be this little Kai was to be mine. The bf and I are exhausted but happy. Katsu is a handsome little boy and very smart.

Today we start a new adventure with a puppy. The bf has never raised a puppy and it has been a very long time since I have. We kick off the weekend with the first trip to the vet for his first round of shots. I predict a long night ahead of us. Please do not misunderstand me shelters and adoption agencies work great for a lot of people and I support them 100%, but sometimes it just doesn't work out and that is o.k. Thanks for listening.